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Saturday, March 31, 2012

Yep - My life is going to be getting extremely hectic with ELA exams, Regents, Prom, graduation, showers, bachelorette parties, and the end of school, and I have decided there is no better time to write. Yeah, sometimes people want me to high tail it to the insane asylum. Hey - I have never done what sane people do - so why should I start now?

So ROW 80! YEAH! My goals! Finish the first, roughest, unedited draft of The Owens Legacy: Redemption. It's my goal to do some drafting over summer so to do that - I have to get the thoughts to paper. I even have Ms. Kenzie Kaboom lined up to do my next two cover shoots with Ms. Maggie. I have big goals for summer, but, um, no book. Yeah - I should get started on that. Wait - Michelle FOCUS - Set your goal a little bit more thoroughly. I am going to write 2,000 words per week. I am only going to post up on Sunday. I am going to blog on 15 ROWer blogs.

I think this is a very good goal for me, considering writing has taken a back seat to my school life. I will finish my sequel.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Hey writing and reading friends - I am looking for some of you to do some guest posting on my blog. I thought of a few topics I would like to see published but am not limiting it to these topics.

Writing
Drafting process
Reviewing process
What's it like to be the editor for a friend's novel
Self-publishing
Meeting people to edit
Meeting people to start a following

Reading
What's the current fad?
What makes something the current fad?
That genre between YA and adult
Steamy topics in YA appropriate or not?
Promotion of a specific author (can even be you)

This would be a great way to reach out to some people who haven't heard your name, get a few more followers, and would spice up your typical blogging schedule. Shoot me an email at mf060784@gmail and we can set something up. Maybe if a few people want to do the same topic we can combine or have a debate. OK - I'll stop being so excited and just wait for someone to email me.

Side note - completely unrelated - The Titanic trailer is playing in the background - heart that song. Going to go download it.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

I have been meaning to pick up this book on the sole fact that I LOVE THE COVER. I know besides being a fictional floozy, I am also a cover slut. I promise to start to go to meetings for this problem.

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children. When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?

I read it and it was a solid story. It was not my favorite dystopia and I think the reason is because I was expecting something more to happen in the story.Before I get into that I want to talk about the good things.
Rhine is a really good character - as in a really good person - a girl I would be friends with. The sister wives is a unique concept, slightly creepy, but it is a dystopia. I liked Jenna the best though.

Linden - I really thought he was going to be a messed up, control freak. Not the case and I did think he was going to have a major character flaw. It really was just a 20 year old, living under his father's watchful eye, and was trusting. I felt bad for him. He lost a lot and I am predicting only going to lose more.

I am glad that Gabriel and Rhine's relationship doesn't get all steamy. And while sex was a main contributor to this story - it's done very discreetly.

While I liked the characters, thought the set up for the chemical problem was solid, this was not action packed for me. It is basically Rhine plotting her escape. Which leads me into my dislike for Linden's father. He's a jerk, a controlling jerk - but I wanted him to be more of a controlling jerk. I wanted him to be threatening. I missed the action.

And while I wanted it to be more action packed - I will be picking up Fever.

Monday, March 26, 2012

One of my tippy favorite movies is Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. It's one of my rainy day, need noise in the background, movies - because I can recite it line by line. I love this movie for many reasons - but the number one is because it still evokes emotion in me, like when Miriam screams "Robin" near the end, I still get goosebumps. When Robin Hood says he would die for her, I swoon.

But back to the post. KEVIN COSTNER. He is such a hottie and such a bad ass in movies. I won't list all of the movies he has been - I don't have the time - but I will promote my two favorite (wait already promoted one.

There is just something about a guy with a bow and arrow.

Then there is Frank Farmer - The Bodyguard. I want my sister to stalk and hate me so I can get a bodyguard like that. Wait - I don't have a sister. I love how he just picks Whitney Houston up and takes charge. Holy smokin hott.

These are both movies from the early 90's - fully equipped with awesome soundtracks - I will always love you and Everything I do, I do it for you (that was my first boyfriend's and mine song haha). He looks young and hott and you want to know what he looks like as an older guy?

Old and HOTT. DAMN!

Do you have an early 90's star that was hott or still is? Leave it for me!

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

30 is the number of copies I have sold of my book! AHH! OK, I know - 30 doesn't seem like a ton on the grander scale, BUT seriously 30 people have purchased my book! (AND I AM NOT ONE OF THEM!)

30! :) INSERT HAPPY DANCE!

I know that mostly, maybe all, are people who know and love me. People have known me since I was a child, a baby, a tomboy, and a nervous new teacher, a brand new college student and all those awkward moments that I don't feel like sharing with you. I will say that these people have laughed, cried, and given me a lot of inspiration to achieve what I want and dream of and supplied me with a lot of writing material for many more books.

So this post is for my family and friends.

THANK YOU!

Thank you to my dad, mom and brother.
Thank you to my aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Thank you to my grandparents.
Thank you to my childhood friends, college friends, and adult friends.
Thank you to my friends' parents who turned out to be second dads and moms to me.

Monday, March 19, 2012

This is my first time I am going to review a book a second time on this blog. I have re-read multiple books since I started this blog, but I am trying out an experiment. I am going to review and then I am going to look at the first review AND THEN compare the posts. This IS GOING to contain spoilers.

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister Primrose, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before — and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

The Hunger Games Take Two.

This time around I was excited for certain moments in the book, such as: when Peeta says he has a crush on Katniss, the flaming dress, the first kiss, and the first time they get to see each other after the games.

When I knew Peeta was going to confess love, I couldn't read fast enough to get that page. I have yet to decide if Peeta just decided to confess or if Haymitch realized Peeta loved her and told him to confess to help them out. But I paid more attention to Katniss's reaction. The way Collins describes her blush and the way she avoids eye contact - I just thought it was very sweet of the typical hard Katniss.

Second time around the feelings of dread. OMG.
First and most heartbreaking, the calling of Prim's name. I mean, I know Katniss goes in. I've read the book, but just the way Katniss feels and how she volunteers at tribute, really endears her to me and I think more so this time around because I know what she is going to go through. Katniss has moved up on my heroine list - I hate to say it - maybe more than Rose, but let's not get ahead of me.

Second, Rue. This time I really paid attention to Rue. I don't think I realized how instrumental Rue was in igniting Katniss's anger toward the Captiol. The flower F@CK you burial enraged me this time. That poor, pixie-like child and with that rage came my hatred toward the Captiol.

Third, I don't know why I didn't remember it, but when Peeta realizes that Katniss has been pretending the whole time. I was heartbroken for him, devastated. I don't think Katniss did it on purpose like she was deliberately toying with him. I do believe she really cares for him and I think could be falling for him, it was still heartbreaking. Oh and when they are just stepping off the train into District 12! Well, I am re-reading Catching Fire.

Gale - hm. He was not a big part of it for me this time. hm.

One thing that stood out more to me, the mockingjay and how they were part of Katniss's past, Rue and Katniss's relationship, and what the bird symbolizes to Katniss's character and the society.

OK - so I am going to go look at my other post and see what was different. Feel free to do the same.

Friday, March 16, 2012

I am participating in the Lucky Leprechaun Hop! I wanted to say thank you to Kathy at I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Cindy Thomas for hosting this awesome hop. The basic idea is you hop along ALL of those blogs on the linky list - enter in their giveaways - and keep on hoppin'.

When telepathic twins, Piper and Ryder Owens are dumped at Evermore Academy, they thought that the only thing they’d have to worry about was Piper staying out of trouble long enough for them to graduate. They will not, for any reason, be separated. But someone at Evermore knows about their secret and wants to separate them permanently.

But then Piper’s Achilles Heel shows up: a good looking guy. Victor Mira is everything Piper is supposed to avoid, yet she feels drawn to him in a way she never imagined. But Victor is hiding a dangerous secret too, and what he knows could be the one thing that could divide the sisters. Forever.

What's up for grabs? 3 e-copies of my book! Fill out the rafflecopter below and you're done.

My friend Molli has been extra busy building relationships with her fellow bloggers and this month, I was her "target." She featured me in an extensive interview and today we are guest posting about one of our favorite topics.

VILLAINS!

Molli put up my post and I am putting up hers.

"I love to love book characters.The good, the bad, the ambiguous, the romantic, the bad boys, the boy next door.I love them all but oddly enough, my favorite type of character is a well-developed villain.And sure, the good ol’ in-your-face evil Big Bad is interesting enough, but MY type is the sort of baddie that you find yourself…wondering about, sympathizing with…asking yourself if he/she is REALLY all THAT bad.And while it’s scary to get inside the mind of a villain, it’s also…fun!They make the story more interesting.

My love for those amazingly evil yet polite and charismatic villains is by far the most consuming love I have for fictional characters. I fangirled over The Mayor on the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, then the Yellow Eyed Demon on the TV show Supernatural. I loved to hate President Snow in the Hunger Games series. Currently, I want to choke the living daylights out of Regina on Once Upon a Time. I’m dangerously drawn to the villains who, rather than coming out and proclaiming how evil and vicious they are, lure you in with a sob story, a genial attitude and façade, then once you’re ensnared, you’re a goner.

Probably my favorite villain of the last few years is Warner from Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. Warner is a singular character in that, although he fits into the type I’m talking about, the reader isn’t really given that much insight into him. He comes off as pained when things don’t go his way, yet there’s also enough evidence given to make one think he’s largely heartless. Yet just when you’ve written him off, he almost leaps off the pages with his civility and gentility, but always with the underlying air of peril.

I’m not sure I would ever get tired of loving this type of character. From a writer’s stand-point, there is just so much you can do with the baddie with a heart. There are so many directions to go in. I’ve written this sort of character once or twice myself, and it’s a LOT of fun. And from a reader’s stand-point…they are a real treat to read about, and try to decide if you love or hate them, or if it’s a love/hate relationship.

I just love the fact that you brought up the Mayor in Buffy the Vampire Slayer - I loved that show and hadn't thought about it in forever! That Mayor! Did you hate/love Spike - you know before he turned into a softy? What about "bad" Angel??

Thanks Molli! To see what type of villain I love, check out Molli's site here.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

As most of you know (because I have been shouting it from the rooftops) that I recently released my first novel. I have a current copy sitting on my coffee table. It's very pretty where it is sitting. And I got some great news today, my book is finally up on Amazon and now all the Kindle readers - wait, no, it's says paperback -. HM.

So it's not offered in e-book. I did further investigating and if I want to do it myself, I have to give Amazon exclusive rights for 90 days. Well, hindsight is only 50 50. More research and I may have done Amazon first and then Barnes and Noble. But I didn't so....

Now what? Anyone have any ideas?

Also there is this funky little button that people can request a paperback in kindle format. Has anyone had any success with that? Well, as a long shot, I am asking that you please click the button and request my book in Kindle format. Here is the link. It's right below the cover.

Favorite animal – dog :) but if I could have any pet it would be a white tiger.

Favorite number – 7 and 11

Favorite non-alcoholic drink - V8 juice

Facebook or Twitter – Facebook

My passion – Dancing! (Komal I used to teach dance too!)

Getting or giving presents? – Switzerland on this - both.

Favorite pattern – I don't get it?

Favorite day of the week – Saturday (especially the morning when I wake up and realize no work for me!)

Favorite flower – Lilacs - now that I have my own house - I'm getting a lilac bush. Must have!

Here are the 10 bloggers I have selected to receive the Sunshine Award:

Diana - She was one of the two people that I connected with quickly on the blog. I learned a lot from her and respect and appreciate all she she has to say

Melissa - She is the other part of the two people I met on the blog circuit. She read my book when it was in the editing stages and has been super supportive!

Molli - Molli and I are really building a great friendship. She featured me on her blog this month, we've done hops together, and on Friday we are doing a dual posting on the topics of villains.

Lindy - I met Lindy through my new author blog hop. She and I have been posting and sharing ever since!

Rhiannon - She gave me a lot of good information on self-publishing and publishing in general. She has an awesome book out. Hop over to her site and find out more about it, or check out my review here!

Steph - I love her posts. They don't run along the lines of the traditional styles. I never know what I am going to find on her blog, but I know it will be informative and most of the time - I end up smiling! She's got a great voice on her blog.

Lieder - She invited me to her blog for a book chat. It was a different kind of post because it was more like a discussion throughout and went on for a few days.

Ky - I've been following her for a LONG time. Her book tastes always seem to line up with mine. I know if she likes something, I should put it on my list!

Lulu! - I first fell in love with the name :) I love this girl's perceptions on reading!

And last but not least, Michelle! - This girl has it together! Her blog is a non-stop place for great read and honest reviews!

Monday, March 12, 2012

This week I would like to feature an oldie but a goodie. Orlando Bloom. (Swoon)

I first fell in love with him when most of you did, when he looked like an elf. Hottest elf ever. Can someone come up with a better one?

Yes, his long, white hair, pointy ears, and aptness with a bow stole my heart for three movies (what like 8 hours worth of film?). Fun fact: he was discovered walking out of acting school. He immediately got the role as Legolas.

Then Pirates of the Car. happened. Thank you for trilogies. He looked good in the first one. He looked better in the second. And then BAM! Third movie and hello Will Turner you handsome captain of the Flying Dutchman. Wow.

Orlando has been in multiple other movies, but I love him best when he is in fantasy and other eras. He was great in the Three Musketeers movies! Check that out too. And one last pic of him.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Hey everyone - Just a reminder if you want to sign up for my giveaway for my book - go here.
Also, tomorrow, I will be a guest poster on my friend Molli's blog. Check it out.

Still in the romance novel kick - And they all are in 1700's and 1800's. I just love the era to be honest. I like the prim and proper and how ALWAYS there is a female breaking those rules. It's great!

So two more mini-reviews.

To Love of Thief by Julie Anne LongLily Masters has a gift for picking pockets and telling stories—skills that come in handy for surviving London's slums. She's proud of providing for herself and her lively young sister, Alice, and she's never been caught. Well, there's always a first time.Enticed!Gideon Cole is a brilliant barrister with an unfortunate weakness for clients who can't pay. His latest charitable misstep: buying the freedom of a daring, beautiful thief. To repay the debt, Lily agrees to his proposition: pose as the object of his desire and help him snare a wealthy bride. All he has to do is transform the impudent Lily into a diamond of the first water.

Enthralled!But the education of Lily could cost Gideon his carefully planned future. While she plays cards with his invalid uncle, and Alice charms the servants, the honorable Gideon is harboring less than honorable thoughts. For sweet, stubborn, and sensual Lily has a way of slipping past a gentleman's defenses—especially when she's stealing his heart.

This one was good for two reasons - The Nemesis of Lily - I hated her. I wanted nothing more than that woman to get what she deserved. She was a fake girl with no innate feelings - just "proper." When I can hate a character - I really tend to love the book. The second part that I really liked was how Lily had her sister Alice to take care of. Lily's whole point is to make sure Alice is safe, taken care of, healthy all that stuff. It's a great relationship. Alice, herself, is a lovable 10 year old who Gideon, besides Lily, can't stay away from.

The romance part - great - but like in one of the books I read last week - there was a scene where my heart just broke for Lilly. I wanted to hit Gideon. I really felt bad for her. (Because remember, all characters, are real.)

Tangled Reins - Stephanie LaurensDorothea was resigned to live a spinster's life...
Miss Dorothea Darent had no intention of ever getting married, until a dashing stranger with hazel eyes kissed her under a blackberry tree.

Haunted by their kiss, the Marquis of Hazelmere, a notorious scoundrel, was determined to win Dorothea's heart while she dazzled London socialites. Amidst shocked whispers, he swept Dorothea into her first waltz and sparked the jealous plots of lesser suitors.

Now Dorothea had a choice to make: stick with her plan to stay a respectable spinster, or run into the arms of her dashing stranger...

I'm a huge Stephaine Lauren's fan, but this one - fell short. Have any of you read the Cynster novels? I love them. This one. I just felt it lacked the danger, the scandal, the whole "I'm pulling one over on society".

Monday, March 5, 2012

I have no shame in admitting that I am a Marvel and DC junkee. I had a brother and we had to split cartoons on Saturday. I am pretty sure I believed Gambit from the X-men was real and I was dating him. Don't judge me.

Anyway - I just watched Thor - and I want to thank casting and the writers who brought me him.

Thank you.

This hottie's name is Chris Hemsworth.

Some background on the character and plot line of the actual comic - Thor's father Odin decided his son needed to be taught humility and consequently placed Thor (without memories of godhood) into the body and memories of an existing, partially disabled human medical student, Donald Blake. After becoming a doctor and on vacation in Norway, Blake witnessed the arrival of an alien scouting party. Blake fled into a cave after they heard him and began to pursue him. After discovering Thor's disguised hammer Mjolnir, and striking it against a rock, he transformed into the thunder god.

Defeating the aliens, Thor shared a double life with his alter ego: treating the ill in a private practice with nurse - and eventual love - Jane Foster and defending humanity from evil. Thor's presence on Earth almost immediately attracted the attention of his adoptive brother and arch-foe Loki;who returned repeatedly to Earth in a bid to destroy Thor. Loki was also responsible for the emergence of three of Thor's principal foes: the Absorbing Man; the Wrecker, and the Destroyer. On one occasion, Loki's tactics were accidentally beneficial - although successful in using an illusion of the Hulk to draw Thor into battle, it resulted in the formation of the superhero team the Avengers, of which Thor was a founding and longstanding member. - Wikipedia

In the movie - why did I like him? Besides this?

There needs to be more than a shirtless stud? OK. So besides the hottie that was casted, my love of comic book heroes, I also liked how he bantered with Jane. I found myself laughing (boyfriend getting annoyed) when they interacted. For example.

[after Thor has regained his powers and is wearing his warrior costume with the red cape]Jane Foster: So is this how you normally look?Thor: More or less.Jane Foster: It's a good look!

Sunday, March 4, 2012

I had a super busy week this week between teaching and self-publishing. For those of you follow me regularly - I am going to be saying that a lot, "Self-publishing" because I am still so stinkin' happy about it! (Go to the next post to enter in a contest to win an ebook copy of it) My point in all this busy-ness - I read three book and am doing a mini - review for each.

Wildfire by Norah Hess

After the Yankees kill her sweetheart and imprison her brother, beautiful Serena boldly faces the future as the wagon trains roll west. Her bitterness leads her to resent the handsome Yankee wagon master. But soon, her heart betrays her will as they unleash their wildest passions.

I had read this one before - found it as I was rummaging for a book - and decided to read it again. Some quick things I liked about: Serena is headstrong and proud, I like anything to do with the Oregon Trail (firmly believes it stems from the really old version of the game - you know the green and black screen. Anyone remember that?) and because of the trail - the situations Serena finds herself in - like raids, getting lost, terrible storm, having to cook when she had no idea - and as always - romance - I love Josh Quade.

I kissed an Earl by Julie Anne Long

Violet Redmond's family and fortune might be formidable and her beauty and wit matchless—but her infamous flare for mischief keeps all but the most lionhearted suitors at bay. Only Violet knows what will assuage her restlessness: a man who doesn't bore her to tears, and a clue to the fate of her missing brother. She never dreamed she'd find both with a man whose own pedigree is far from impeccable.

"Savage" is what the women of the ton whisper about the newly styled Earl of Ardmay—albeit with shivers of pleasure. Born an English bastard, raised on the high seas, he's on a mission to capture a notorious pirate for vengeance. But while Violet's belief in her brother's innocence maddens him, her courage awes him . . . and her sensuality finally undoes him. Now the man who once lost everything and the girl who has everything to lose are bound by a passion that could either end in betrayal . . . or become everything they ever dreamed.

In every romance novel, the main couple always ends up together. I like the continuity of it. However, in this novel, there was a point when the Earl and Violet were in a sense breaking up at the end, for what reasons, I will not tell you - but I felt so bad for the couple - like my heart hurt - that's how could the tone and mood were at that point. Plus there's an awesome kiss scene on the deck of a boat. And hello - hot cover.

The Perils of Pleasure by Julie Anne Long
A rescued rogue . . .

Scandal has rocked the city of London. Colin Eversea, a handsome, reckless unapologetic rogue is sentenced to hang for murder and, inconveniently for him, the only witness to the crime disappears. Then again, throughout history, the Everseas have always managed to cheat fate in style: Colin is snatched from the gallows by a beautiful, clever mercenary.

A captivating captor. . .

Cool-headed, daring Madeleine Greenway is immune to Colin's vaunted charm. Her mission is not to rescue Colin but to kidnap him, and to be paid handsomely for it. But when it becomes clear that whoever wants Colin alive wants Madeleine dead, the two become uneasy allies in a deadly race for truth. Together, they'll face great danger—and a passion neither can resist.

I liked this one because of the romance aspect. I did not like the plot line of this book. It did not keep my attention and I had to stop myself from leafing through it to get to the Colin and Madeline scenes. This one is the first in the series and I kissed an Earl is the fourth (?) and I liked the fourth so I am going to continue to read more of it.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

When telepathic twins, Piper and Ryder Owens are dumped at Evermore Academy, they thought that the only thing they’d have to worry about was Piper staying out of trouble long enough for them to graduate. They will not, for any reason, be separated. But someone at Evermore knows about their secret and wants to separate them permanently.But then Piper’s Achilles Heel shows up: a good looking guy. Victor Mira is everything Piper is supposed to avoid, yet she feels drawn to him in a way she never imagined. But Victor is hiding a dangerous secret too, and what he knows could be the one thing that could divide the sisters. Forever.

Yeah - so - if you click on it - my cover and name appear - I am so excited - I cannot stop talking with dashes!

So I want to do a giveaway for the book! I am going to pick four people to get my book. One catch - you need to post a review on your blog and on Barnes and Noble (I am putting it up on Amazon soon - so that would work too!) But if you really like it posting your review anywhere and everywhere would be OK with me too! :)

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About Me

A reader. A writer. An English teacher. A dog lover. A music lover. A laugher. Me in a nut shell. I recently self-published my first novel: The Owens Legacy: Revelations and working on the sequel. And while doing that I am distracting myself with anything YA.